Coe follows the Winds of the Forelands series (Weavers of War , etc.) with this absorbing trilogy opener set across the sea in the Southlands, where a mysterious plague is heightening tensions among three groups: the Qirsi, who wield life-draining magic; the Mettai, who cast spells with blood and earth; and the nonmagical Eandi. Decades earlier, the plague destroyed the Mettai villagers of Sentaya, leaving only young Lici alive. No one in Lici's adopted village of Kirayde realizes the depth of her mental scars until she disappears 64 years to the day after her arrival, intending to use blood magic to punish the Qirsi she feels were responsible for the plague. Fans will cheer on Forelands series hero Grinsa, a powerful but pacifist Qirsi, who ties the two series together as he strives to understand Lici's motivation and aims to find a peaceful resolution to the escalating Qirsi-Eandi strife that follows in her wake. (Dec.)